Construction of railway-rail joints.



Patented Mar. 6, 1900..

'No. 644,934. I

E. Ill. MGVICKER.

CONSTBUGTlON 0F RAILWAY (Application filed Sept. 29, 1

RAIL JOINTS.

(No Model.)

M; a e/L lg Wm e4): yawn? TATES i'rn EMERY M. MCVIOKER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,934, dated March 6, 1900.

Applicati n filed September 29,1899. seen No. 732,052. (No model.)

' waukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Railway-Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac companyin g drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to that class of railjoints in which the rail ends are united by the fusion therewith of molten metal.

The main objects of the invention. are to avoid the necessity of raising the rail ends or of cutting away the ties for the purpose of forming the joints and generally to simplify and improve the construction of this class of joints.

Heretofore in the construction of rail-joints of this class, whether made by forming the joints entirely of molten metal in removable molds or but partially of molten metal in metal sleeves or supports which become a part of the joints, the molten metal, the sleeve or support, or both, has been made to pass below and embrace the base of the rails, thus in many cases necessitating the elevation of the rail ends or cutting away ties to form the joints. In the construction as heretofore practiced of those joints in which metal sleeves or supports become permanent parts of the joints such metal sleeves or supports have been made invariably to pass below and embrace the base of the rails and to form the complete molds, cavities, or receptacles for the molten metal, and such sleeves or supports have of necessity been made comparatively heavy, thereby either increasing the size and weight of the joints or reducing the relative Volume of molten metal by which fusion of the joints is effected. By my improved method of construction the difficulties and objections above noted are avoided.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate various stages in the construction of a rail-joint by my improved method, and in which like parts are designated by the same letters, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the mold as prepared for pouring the molten metal which enters into the construction of the joint. Fig. 2 is a similar section of a finished rail-joint; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mold as applied to the ends of a pair of rails, the banking of sand or dirt shown in Fig. 1 being omitted.

In the construction of a rail-joint according to my improved method two plates A A, which are preferably made of comparativelythin wrought metal, such as steel or wroughtiron, are fitted at the ends to the sides of the rails B B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the rail ends having been first cleaned by a sandblast or other means to insure perfect fusion of the molten metal therewith. These plates are curved or bent outwardly and project for a portion of their length beyond the basefianges Z) of the rails, thus leaving openings between them and said flanges. These open ings are closed by sand, dirt, clay, or other suitable material, which, with the plates A and A, form two molds, cavities, or receptacles, one on each side of the rail ends and both open at the top adjacent to the railheads l). The plates are secured to the sides of the rails and are held in place during the construction of the joint by any suitable means-such, for example, as a clamp O and a wedge D. That portion of the lower edge of each plate which projects outside of the base-flange b of the rail preferably extends downwardly to about the plane of the railbase, but not below it. The outside plate A extends upwardly to about the level of the top or tread of the rail-heads 11, while the inside plate A terminates at its upper edge below the top or tread of the rail-heads to allow for the wheel-flanges. The cracks or joints between the ends of the plates and the rails are luted with clay, and the molds or plates are preferably banked on the outside with sand or dirt, as shown in Fig. 1. This bankin g not only assists in holding the plates in place, but also prevents the escape of heat and tends to produce a more effective fusion. of the molten metal with said plates.

When the retaining and reinforcing plates have been arranged and the molds prepared as above explained, molten metal is poured into the spaces on both sides of the rails between them and the plates A and A, and such metal is caused to fuse and unite with both the rail ends and the plates A A, which thus become a part of the rail-joint, as shown in Fig. 2, reinforcing and strengthening the cast metal by which the fusion is effected and the several parts are united and firmly bound together.

Holes b may, if desired, be made through the webs b of the rails, so that the molten metal will flow through them; but this is not essential to the construction of a strong durable joint, since if the rail ends are properly cleaned and the method is properly performed the molten metal will unite by fusion with the rails.

By the employment of comparatively-thin plates of steel or wrought-iron and a comparatively-large Volume of molten metal in the construction of the joint said ,plates are more readily and highly heated and a more perfeet and effective fusion is obtained between them and the cast metal, and these plates being composed of a tougher more tenacious metal reinforce and strengthen the joint and admit of reducing the size and Weight without impairing the strength and stability of the joint. As neither the retaining and reinforcing plates nor the molten metal which enter into the construction of the joint pass below the base of the rail, the elevation of the rail ends and the cutting away of ties next to the joints are avoided,and a considerable saving of time, labor, and material is thus effected in the construction of the joint.

I do not herein claim the rail-joint as an article of manufacture, but make such claim in a divisional application, Serial No. 2,409, filed by me January 22, 1900.

I claim- 1. The method of forming rail-joints which consists in securing to the sides of the rail ends two metal plates which are fitted at their ends to the rails and are bent or curved outwardly therefrom beyond and extend downward approximately to the base of the rails, closing the openings between said plates and the base of the rails with sand, clay or other suitable material, pouring molten metal into the receptacles thus formed between said plates and rail ends, and causing said metal to fuse therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The method of forming rail-joints which consists in securing to the sides of the rail ends two wrought metal plates which are fitted at their ends to the rails and are bent or curved outwardly therefrom beyond and extend downwardly approximately to the base of the rails, closing the openings between said plates and the base of the rails, pouring molten metal into the receptacles thus formed between said plates and rail ends and cansing such metal to unite therewith by fusion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMERY M. MCVIOKER. Witnesses:

A. B. BRIGGS, OHAs. L. Goss. 

